In March, Mexican officials seized 320 baby turtles they found being smuggled inside a box on a passenger bus — a disturbing discovery considering wildlife trafficking is increasing worldwide.
What happened?
According to Mexico News Daily, authorities rescued the turtles from the bus during a roadside inspection on the Mexico City-Puebla interstate. Authorities established checkpoints along the highway in an effort to prevent the illegal wildlife trade.
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) explained that the freeway is "the main entry route for transportation from the southeast of our country, a region of utmost importance for biodiversity and where various species are illegally extracted."
After seizing the turtles, identified as Meso-American slider turtles, officials brought them to a wildlife conservation center for care and treatment.
The species is not considered endangered, according to Mexico News Daily, but it is "under species protection" in Mexico because of overexploitation of its natural populations for food and the pet trade.
"Profepa will continue to conduct random operations at various highway crossings as part of its strategy to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking," Mariana Boy Tamborrell, head of Profepa, said in a news release. "We are committed to curbing this crime and protecting wildlife populations from the enormous impact caused by illegal extraction."
Why are the smuggled turtles concerning?
Wildlife trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry and the fourth-largest organized crime worldwide, per the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It's rampant in Mexico, with one study by the Center for Biological Diversity calling it "out of control" in the region.
Turtles are one of the top animals trafficked in Mexico. According to Mongabay, 100,000 wild animals and birds were seized across Latin America between 2017 and 2022, with Mexico accounting for more than a quarter of them. Two major wildlife seizures involved nearly 30,000 mud turtles and musk turtles. The latest seizure occurred just seven months after Mexican officials rescued 200 turtles from trafficking at the Mexico City International Airport.
Sadly, many trafficked animals never make it to their destination, as they're often shipped in inhumane conditions. Mexico News Daily reported that 77% of animals die during the journey.
Meso-American slider turtles play a critical role in ecosystem health, helping to control populations of aquatic animals and plants. However, if they continue to be removed from their habitats and smuggled away, it will disrupt the balance in these sensitive ecosystems and put turtle populations at risk. Many already suffer because of habitat loss, pollution, and rising temperatures.
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Definitely 👍 This is also concerning for the tourist industry in Mexico, as these turtles often inhabit and maintain the ecological balance of cenotes — natural caverns that provide access to freshwater aquifers, which attract thousands of visitors annually, per Lonely Planet.
What's being done to help turtles?
Authorities are constantly working to become more vigilant about tracking and catching wildlife criminals. Recently, one man from Brooklyn was charged with up to 30 years in prison and $250,000 in fines after smuggling eastern box turtles. In Madagascar, over 20,000 tortoises were rescued from illegal wildlife poaching, and authorities across Latin America are considering enforcing stricter laws regarding wildlife crimes.
You can help by donating to environmental organizations that support these efforts, monitoring the animal products you buy to ensure they are ethically and sustainably sourced, and reporting any suspected wildlife crimes to a government hotline or an anti-trafficking website.
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